One of the aims of OCSN is to engage with STEM issues of relevance to the Oberon LGA community. Perhaps the most contentious and potentially divisive issues to be faced in the immediate future are the proposals to build substantial wind farms in or adjacent to the large pine forests in the southern part of Oberon LGA. Details of these proposed projects are provided below. It is the intention of OCSN to contribute to the debate around these projects and to help inform decision-making processes (such as by responding to calls for comments on project Environmental Impact Statements (EIS)), through projects designed to collect and analyse scientific data of relevance. Some of these potential OCSN initiatives and projects are discussed below.
OCSN does not take a position on whether any of the wind farms proposed for the southern part of Oberon LGA should proceed. As a science-based organisation, OCSN accepts the fact of anthropogenic climate change and the urgent need to de-carbonise economies worldwide. However, this does not mean it has a position on the proposed Paling Yards and Pines winds farms. It does have a strong position, however, on the need for sound scientific evidence and engineering informatin to inform decisions about these proposed developments, which represent major industrial-scale construction projects of huge structures in what are entirely rural high country settings. As noted on the FrogID page, there were significant deficiencies in data used and considered the Biodiversity Development Assessment Report for the proposed Paling Yards Wind Farm, which was part of the EIS submission. OCSN intends to ensure that such deficiencies are remedied for the proposed Pines Wind Farm (and are surfaced and discussed in any further consideration of the Paling Yards proposal).
The proposed Paling Yards Wind Farm
Details of this proposed development as provided by the developer can be found here and the EIS submission for the development here.
More detailed consideration of the scientific data gaps relating to this proposal will appear here on the OCSN web site in due course, Although the very brief call for public comment in the Paling Yards EIS has closed, it is expected that the development will be subject to a further enquiry and OCSN hopes to make submissions to that process, at least with regard to the adequacy of the science and engineering considerations reflected in the current EIS.
The proposed Pines Wind Farm
A large wind farm development is proposed in the Gurnang and/or Vulcan state forests, which are largely (but not exclusively) pine plantations managed by the Forestry Corporation of NSW. This development has been enabled by recent changes to the relevant NSW legislation pertaining to Forestry Corporation management of state forests, permitting up to 7% of state forest land areas to be used for renewable energy projects. The developers of the proposed Pines Wind Farm are TAG Energy and Stromlo Energy.
The interactive map below shows the exploration area granted to the developers by Forestry Corporation NSW for possible location of the proposed wind farm in (largely) state forest areas. The exploration area is shaded in red, and the existing 500 kVA transmission line to Taralga to which the wind farm must connect shown as a blue line.
Better maps and more details will appear here in the future.
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